Cops: Man shot woman in knee

By Larissa Theodore, Times Staff

Monday

Jul 27, 2009 at 12:01 AM

BEAVER FALLS — A Beaver Falls man has been jailed on charges that he shot a woman in the knee over the weekend.

Mansfield S. Washington Jr., 49, of 2609 Ninth Ave. was charged with four counts of reckless endangerment and one count each of aggravated assault, simple assault, making terroristic threats, tampering with evidence, carrying an unlicensed firearm and being a former convicted felon not to own a firearm.

According to a criminal complaint, Beaver Falls police were called to Heritage Valley Beaver hospital at 12:30 a.m. Sunday for a report of a woman who was shot in Beaver Falls. Deborah Simmons told police she’d been walking near the Beaver Falls Fireman’s Carnival when she was shot but did not know who fired the round.

During the course of investigating, though, police learned that the shooting had taken place at 1325 Eighth Ave., Apartment B, in Beaver Falls, and that Washington had fired the shot.

Police spoke to three people who were present. Kim Davis told police Washington had what she believed was a 9mm handgun and he was pointing the gun around the room at people. At one point, several people had persuaded Washington to put the gun away, she said, and he began to “rack” the slide to eject the rounds from the weapon. That’s when the gun went off, striking Simmons and then a nightstand.

Davis told police Washington left the residence with the gun, came back and later left again with the gun, possibly to dispose of it.

Shawn Yanko told police that Washington handed him the gun at one point and asked him to get rid of it. Yanko said he wrapped the gun in a towel, put it in a bag and handed it back to Washington, who left with the gun, according to the complaint.

Misty Evans told police she didn’t witness the shooting but saw Simmons had been shot. Evans said when she attempted to call for help, Washington pointed the gun at her head and told her he would kill her, find her children and kill them, too, according to the complaint. Simmons warned Evans not to call for help because Simmons believed Washington would kill Evans.

Davis told police Washington left with Simmons and went to the hospital several hours after the shooting.

Police said Washington previously was convicted of aggravated assault. Police added he does not have a valid license to carry a firearm.

Washington remained in the Beaver County Jail Monday on $50,000 bond.

Larissa Theodore can be reached online at ltheodore@timesonline.com.

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